


To Be Free

by LotharWinchester



Series: Fallout Snippets/ Shorts [7]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Misgendering, Not Beta Read, Trans Sole Survivor, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-15
Updated: 2016-10-05
Packaged: 2018-05-26 20:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6254920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LotharWinchester/pseuds/LotharWinchester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Sole Survivor asks a favor of Maxson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own fallout, bethesda does.
> 
> I'm in that place again. I feel like Arthur would react the way he does but please tell me if it feels too OOC. trigger warnings i supposed would be mentions of childhood soldiers, misgendering and transphobia.

“Knight- Captain Cade.” He stood tall as he watched the Brotherhood doctor inventory his latest shipment.

“Sentinel.” Cade spared him a glance as he thumbed the pages of his inventory pad. “What can I do for you?”

“I ran a request by Elder Maxson three weeks ago.” The Sole Survivor swallowed thickly at the rapid change in Arthur Maxson’s face. He’d made his feelings for the shorter man apparent before Danse’s banishment. “He said he would inform you of it and his decision.”

“Ah, yes.”  Cade produced several copies of books Sole had provided Arthur. “I have to ask you some questions first.”

 _I don’t like where this is going._ “Of course.” He tried not to bite out his answer, “And I’ll answer them the best I can.”

“Why do you want me to perform this..”  Cade flipped open the first book to the middle, “ _These_.. operations?”  

Dread filled his stomach and eased up into his chest. _He’s sided with Arthur already.Without hearing my side…_ “They would considerably ease the mental and physical strain on my body.” He exhaled slowly as Cade closed the first book and moved on to the next. “It would mean I would be in perfect shape again once I recovered.”

“Elder Maxson’s concerns-”

“Elder Maxson is concerned about my ability to conceive an heir for him afterwards.” He clenched his fist at his side, “Which it wouldn’t.”

“You would not be able to-”

“The children would be fed.” He growled lowly and stepped back towards the door. “I have collected formula and have all of the ingredients to make more of it.”

“How would you explain this to your children, then?” Cade returned the books to their neat pile on the side of his desk. “How would you explain that you are their mother _and_ their father?”

“You’d be surprised how accepting children are before you brainwash them into childhood soldiers.” _This isn’t working._ “I came to you, _brother_ , out of respect for your position as the Prydwen’s highly regarded physician. I could have gone to any of the other highly regarded doctors in the Commonwealth but I chose to come to you first. To give you those books.”

“We are not bro-”

“We _are_ brothers.” His voice rose as he placed the medical supplies he was ordered to deliver by the door. “But now I see. Now I see why you sided with him. Not because he is your Elder but because you both only see my pre-war uterus. My ‘Perfect’ genetics that could be used to further the Maxson line.”   When Cade didn’t correct him, he sighed heavily and turned his back to the doctor. “I should have known after the only one to call me brother was killed. The most loyal of us all dismissed from all the good he did for the Brotherhood.”  He paused and glanced over his shoulder, “Keep the books for Quinlan.”

\--

The trip and subsequent emptying of his room took a total of five minutes. He’d left the Brotherhood linens and memorabilia in their places, but took all of the things he’d left and placed them into his travel bag along with the remnants of Danse’s personal belongings.

He ultimately decided to hold off on visiting Arthur in his quarters and made his way to the armor bay. Ingram looked at him as he tore his holotags from his neck and slid the silver ring off of his finger.  He held them both in his hand before he slung the ring over the broken chain and wrapped it around the left gauntlet of his Sentinel power armor.

“I wish you well, Ingram.” He smiled sadly and shook the woman’s hand before he turned to his recently repaired T-60 armor. The suit he’d arrived in on his first day. “I’m not coming back.”

“What about Maxson?”

He wanted to ask _well, what about him?_ but he couldn’t. “He made his choice.”

It had been unofficial for months. He would be Arthur’s… bride. The term burned through his growing confidence.  The Elder had even gone as far as making the ring himself.

Out of Danse’s power armor.

“Sentinel Hawke!”

“Ah, Knight Haylen.”  He tried to force a smile to his face, “I’m glad to see you. However, I’m not your superior anymore.”

“It didn’t go well with Cade or Maxson, huh?” Haylen watched as the man nodded. He barely made it up to her nose. “Then I’m coming with you.”

“Haylen..”

“If Maxson is doing this to you Aiden, I can’t stay under his leadership.” Haylen smirked as she thought of her eventual reunion with Danse. “If he truly cared about your well-being, he would have approved.”

“Thank you.” Aiden smiled and tugged at his shoulder strap. “Ingram…”

“Go. I didn’t see either of you.”  She smiled sadly and watched as the former Sentinel handed Haylen his bag and got into his old power armor. “But I want to thank you. For everything.”

Aiden shook his head and waved to Ingram.  She respected him and that was enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer: I don't own fallout, bethesda does.
> 
> here's the final chapter, hope you enjoy it.

It had taken months but the day of his surgeries flew by without incident. With Dr. Amari, Dr. Li, and several of the former Institute scientists they had transformed his nearly abandoned house into a sterile operating room. Well, as sterile as anything could be out in the Commonwealth. 

Each doctor had read and reread the many volumes of medical texts and listened to the few holotapes Aiden had gathered from the Institute.  It took over six hours but, once they were finished, the doctors smiled and had their assistants, many former Institute residents, sterilize the entire house again to the best of their abilities.

Unable to extend his arms above his head or hold anything heavy, the Sole Survivor Aiden Hawke would be near useless to the Wealth until he fully healed. Doctors checked in multiple times a day, sweeping in with bandana masks and clean hands to check his stitches and drains.

Haylen stayed with him for most of the day while Danse stood guard. Both were thankful to Aiden for what he had done for them.  When Danse wasn’t on watch, Preston or Strong stood watch over the house.

Preston was thankful he had brought enough materials for Aiden to increase the defenses around Sanctuary exponentially beforehand. He had thanked the recovering man every day until he was unceremoniously told that he should stop or else he would be in trouble with the General. The walls and gate had been reinforced, more turrets and ammo had been crafted, and there was a new line that brought the overabundance of electricity in Sanctuary to other settlements.  In his opinion, Aiden had done more than enough for the Commonwealth to deserve some time off.  To take in the loss of his son and former fiancé.  

And the synth son he’d been given.  The boy looked exactly like Aiden thought his son would at ten years old. He looked more like Nate (which he was thankful for) and had his former husband’s stubbornness, kindness, and compassion.

He was smart. He’d gathered schematics to help the doctors with new tools for Aiden’s surgeries and to help with improvements to the Mintuemen armor. Preston had taken him under his wing and allowed him to stay at the main gate while the Colonel was on watch.  MacCready stayed up to teach synth Shaun how to shoot a sniper rifle. Something that made Aiden pause.  He’d promised MacCready he would go to the Capital if need be to get Duncan before his surgeries but was reassured Daisy had them covered. He hoped the boy would arrive soon, happy and healthy from Little Lamplight.

Arthur had tried to visit him on several occasions. By the time his drains were out and he could safely lift his arms all the way up over his head, he could no longer hold back his requests to visit.

When he came through the door, Aiden swallowed thickly and watched as he crossed the room.

“You went against my direct order.” Arthur glanced down at the very visible red scars on his chest.

“I’m no longer one of your soldiers, I’m only the General of the Minutemen.” Aiden tried to maintain his rehearsed confidence as Arthur’s blue eyes stayed filled with fury. “I expect you to talk to me with the respect my position demands.”

“What about… us?” Arthur’s teeth unclenched so the words could escape his lips.

“I already gave you my answer Arthur Maxson.” Aiden paused as the other man looked away. “I’m sorry that you’re in pain. But it will go away.”  Tears built up in his eyes as Arthur glanced back at him. “We need to keep our relationship as leaders first. Anything else is unacceptable.”

Arthur nodded once, the air of ‘if that’s the way you want to do this’ echoed off him as he left something to the right of Aiden on the counter. He turned around and left the way he came without another word. A silver band on the counter beside Aiden was the only sign of his presence.


End file.
